Lewes beach parking committee begins work July 16

Parking at the beach is one of the most debated topics in Lewes, and it will be the focus of a new committee set to begin meeting at 2:30 p.m., Monday, July 16. 

The committee is one of two groups created by city council to analyze the parking situation. The other is looking at parking in the business district. 

The beach committee comes on the heels of a years-long discussion about property owners’ encroachment onto the city’s right of way and how that affects parking on streets between Cedar Street and Bay Avenue. The city claims it has a 50-foot right of way on most streets – pavement is only 12 feet wide on some streets – and many residents have placed stones, landscaping and other objects on the city’s property, resulting in significantly narrower roads in many cases.

Council has limited parking to one side of the street on five streets, but most are still open to parking on both sides. 

Several residents have spoken up at public meetings regarding people who purposely discourage parking in front of their homes through a variety of means, including right of way encroachment.  

In April, council authorized City Manager Ann Marie Townshend and city staff to begin clearing the right of way on all city streets, particularly the narrow roads on Lewes Beach. 

Townshend sent a letter to all property owners on Lewes Beach June 19, outlining the policy council approved and also announcing the parking committee.The letter states the city is trying to be fair and consistent to property owners, residents and beach users.  

Since April, Townshend said, the city has also been working with GIS to collect information on property lines and items in the right of way. She said the goal is to determine what is the low-hanging fruit.  

The beach parking committee is to review existing parking regulations to ensure they are consistent and encroachment is addressed. Members are to review alternative sites for possible expansion of parking and must solicit public input. 

Lewes Beach resident Mark Schaeffer said he and many of his neighbors are concerned the action taken by city council earlier this year and potential recommendations from the new committee have the potential to forever change the complexion of the beach community.

“If we’re going to take a look at where Lewes Beach is going to be in the future, it should be a comprehensive look,” he said. “It can’t be this piecemeal approach.” 

He said a small change, such as strictly enforcing the city’s right of way, could result in a number of unforeseen problems, from simple things like where mailboxes are located to larger issues like higher quantities of silt in the marsh and canal. 

“If you sit around a table and ask ‘what other issues do we have’? I guarantee you there’s a laundry list of things,” he said.

Council limits driveway width

One way some residents say homeowners discourage parking in front of their homes on the beach is by widening their driveway. In some cases, the driveway is nearly the entire width of the property.

At its July 9 meeting, council unanimously voted to approve a new regulation limiting driveways to a maximum width of 20 feet. 

Lewes Beach properties had previously fallen through the cracks, as the city has a regulation limiting curb cuts for driveways to 20 feet; however, most Lewes Beach properties do not have curbs. The new regulations would apply only to new driveways; existing wider driveways are exempt.

“I think this is long overdue,” said Mayor Ted Becker.